As is known in the art, the image sensors smear bright spots, in a process known as "blooming". The excessive illumination at the bright spots causes a local excessive generation of image charge in a few elements of the CCD image sensor. The excessive generation often spreads to neighboring, less illuminated and less charged CCD elements, which spreading of charge results in blooming.
In the past, blooming was reduced by changing the structure of the CCD elements. One such structure is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,850 to Burkey. However, these structures are complicated, costly and reduce quantum efficiency.
A method of anti-blooming has been developed which involves toggling the phases of the CCD image sensor during exposure. It is briefly described in the article "Preventing Blooming in CCD Images", NASA Tech Briefs, July 1992, pp. 20-21. The disclosure of that article is incorporated herein by reference. This anti-blooming method does not produce acceptable results with a flash exposure.